So a year ago when I moved into my current Brooklyn apartment, all disheveled and puffy and tired from having my baby, wouldn't you just know who our upstairs neighbor turned out to be? A model who even at seven months pregnant and with a two old in tow managed to look ten times more pulled-together than me. Yep. Just my luck.

This is not my actual neighbor modeling on her couch. It's just a random model modeling on a couch.

She also happens to be the sweetest person ever, and thus I never felt too bad about parading my dumpy appearance in front of her--she doesn't seem the type to judge, and let's be honest, I was too exhausted to care. But over time, I started to aspire to come off more put-together, like she seemed to look day in and out (even once Baby 2 arrived and she was schlepping a bulky stroller up and down our brownstone steps). There was one thing I noticed: She actually puts on makeup pretty much every day, even when she's just home with the kids and not going to castings or shoots.

I resolved that this was one easy way to pull myself out of my post-baby beauty rut. If she could find time to whip out the blush brush and concealer, I really had no excuse (I'd only been bothering when I had to go into Manhattan for a meeting or work event, which isn't that often). I'm proud to say that I've been taking the five minutes to put on a little makeup at least three or four mornings a week before my daughter and I head to Starbucks or the playground or wherever. And it makes me feel SO much better! It's even inspired me to mix up my outfits a little bit more instead of wearing the same jeans-and-cardigan combo.

Have you made any changes to YOUR beauty routine lately? Are you craving a change? Share!